Welcome to my blog. This blog deals with my many adventures as an author and my absolute obsession with Greek mythology.

Kat's Blog

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Bash Rolls On

Hey! Where's my burger? Darn barbecue thief! Anyway, while I go hunt down the sneak who took my burger, please say hi to Gwen Miller! Welcome to the party Gwen.:-)

1: How did you start
writing?

Believe it or not, I started by writing letters. One of the earliest contests I won was in
sixth grade. We were planning a field
trip to the local dairy and my letter of inquiry to the dairy was chosen to be
sent to the dairy. I then moved to
essays, and won a Voice of Democracy contest.
From there I wrote and presented messages, as part of a student panel to a district PTA gathering, as
speaker in our local Methodist Youth Fellowship sunrise service, as Missionary
President to monthly church services, and finally as a Retirement Seminar presenter
for Federal Employees.

When I received letters, I noticed how they all asked about
what I was doing and never told me
what they were doing. So when I wrote back, I told them. Sometimes my letters were thirteen pages
long!

I was always a reader.
So early in our marriage, I figured maybe, as a stay-at-home mom, I
could help with finances through writing stories. Sorry to say, pay does not accompany
rejections slips. I took several writing
courses, but the only thing I actually sold before MuseItUp accepted All Because of Chickens was a crossword
puzzle to “Wee Wisdom Magazine.”

2: What is the one
thing you most enjoy about writing?

The play of words. I
will often rewrite sentences many times till I get just the words that convey
the emotion or atmosphere I am trying to convey. Oh, not all at once. But every time I re-read after a cooling off
period, I usually come up with a word that gives a better tone to the scene I
am trying to create.

Least enjoy?

Besides the rejections slips? I’d say the re-reading. I do not mind the constant editing, but by
the time a story is published, it has often been re-read maybe fifty
times. I found I actually got sick and
tired of reading my own creation! Maybe
this is one of the reasons writers spend so much time reading other writers;
the refreshing and rejuvenating it gives.

3: If you could go
back in time and talk to anyone, who would you speak to?

Jesus.

Why?

I would love to hear His voice, listen to Him laugh, see His
miracles, watch Him interact with the children, see His compassion with the
sick, look into His eyes, and tell Him I love Him.

4: When you write do
you plot out the story or do you let your muse run wild?

I start with an overall idea. Then things happen; an act, a word, and
expression, or an idea for a scene.
Sometimes this happens over a short period of time, sometimes over
years—twenty or thirty. I often write
these down, but I also do a great deal of this in my head before I ever even
start to get the project on paper. But
when I do start the actual writing, I will arrange and rearrange scenes and
incidents to make them more natural. I
have also had the thrill of experiencing my characters actually “writing the
scene” for me. That’s fun!

5: Tell us a bit
about your book.

It’s about twelve year old Sammy who
is thrilled that they are moving back to the family homestead and
heritage—farming. But Dad’s ultimatum
“…no crops, no animals, no barn…” shows Dad wants nothing to do with
farming—either for himself or Sammy. So
why did Dad insist Sammy join a farming club?
When permission slips for Ag club summer projects are due, Sammy defends
his project choice with “Technically, Dad, chickens are birds, not animals.”

Sammy’s problems begin with the
early arrival of his peeps and the loss of his best pals. His ingenuity to care for his chicks, make a
new friend, and design a compost bin win him a new name. His biggest challenge—can he butcher, then
eat, his roosters?

Summer’s many adventures include
solving a mystery, fighting a hawk and being disqualified at the County
Fair.

At the end of the project, has he
won…or lost…the thing he wanted most—Dad’s change of heart about farming?

6: What inspired the
story?

As an avid reader myself, I was appalled that the boys in
our family did not enjoy reading. That
included not only our sons when they were young, but our grandsons. I thought they might enjoy a “fun,”
boy-centered story, centered on our own chicken raising project. Our project was not connected to an Ag club,
but to my love of home canning.

I was an avid canner and liked to do one new thing each
year. A friend of ours introduced me to
home-canned chicken, and I wanted to try it.
And what better way than to “grow our own” chickens? Since we lived in town, my husband fought the
idea for a couple years with his winning argument being “We live in the city,
they wouldn’t allow it.” Bless the
neighbor who pointed out the city line ran between our house and the neighbor’s;
we were the first house in the county.
Needless to say, my husband lost his argument.

When we got the chickens our younger son took them
over. He would even go into their coop
(yes it was an a-frame, built by our older son) and watch them lay eggs! A lot of the happenings are some of our
actual experiences, some were stories told to me by our neighbors about their
experiences. And one was based on our
daughter’s high school science project with a baby peep.

7: Is this a series
or a stand alone novel?

It started out as a stand-alone novel. But since then I have had several ideas for
additional novels growing from the original.
So far, there is one follow-up in progress, with ideas for two to four
more. And, no, I don’t think it will
take twenty years to develop the sequels, at least, I hope not!

8: What advice would
you give an author just starting out?

Don’t give up. And
develop a filing system early! Over
fifty years, I have bits and pieces written for story ideas—on envelopes,
napkins, odd pieces of papers—whatever I could grab. As these ideas would develop, along came more
envelopes, napkins—well you get the picture.
I am currently trying to sort through a big box of pieces and putting
them into labeled file folders.

9: How do you balance
writing with the demands of everyday life?

Not very well, actually.
Writing is very time consuming—at least it is for me. I will spend a good eight to twelve hour day,
or maybe a couple days, writing a single two to three thousand word
chapter. My friend, Lois, will read it
in—what, less than an hour?—and give me a critique. If I could just write as fast as she reads!!

Sometimes I resent that I have to sleep, cook, eat, do
dishes, weed flowers, clean house, do laundry, shop—you know, live life!

10: How much research
do you do for your writing?

Well, so far, I would say not too much. A lot of All
Because of Chickens was just relying on what I knew, although there was a
little research. Over seventy years of
living has given me a wealth of resources to draw from. Its sequels, however, may
take a fair amount of research, since I am going to have to rely more on the
experience and knowledge of others.

11: If you met a
genie, what 3 things would you wish for? Why?

I haven’t the slightest idea. There are so many needs in this world, how
could I choose?

World peace, healing of the sick, and that the USA would
return to putting God first, though would, I believe, be priority. Then I think everything else would take care
of itself.

12: What is the one
thing about the writing world that most surprised you?

The comradery between authors, at least the MIU
authors. They are an extended family,
eager to help, encourage, sympathize, lift up and pray for each other. Much different from the cut-throat
competition I expected.

13: What are you
currently working on?

A light romance, which is almost done; a sequel for Chickens which is half done; and seeking
a publisher for a couple finished children’s picture book. These are the pen and paper (really, computer)
ones. Mentally, I am working on a Young
Adult anthology I would like to see become a television series…how’s that for reaching for the
stars?...and a Bible study course.

Maybe that I am more than my writing? I have fond memories of growing up in a small
town in a very different era, the thrill of travel, interesting employment, fun
hobbies, joys and sorrows, loves and hates.
I love to reminisce and share with those who like to listen.

5 Bonus Questions

16: What’s your
favorite color?

That is difficult.
Color, shades and hues, is something that attracts me, that I delight
in. But if I have to pick one, I would
say blue.

17: What’s your
favorite food?

I have an eclectic taste in food, too. Oriental, Italian, old-fashioned regular
food…roasts, chicken, stews. And of
course, deserts! And I love salads. But I guess I would have to say my most
favorite is bread, especially fresh
bread.

18: Favorite TV show?

My all-time favorite is “Murder She Wrote.” That is the one
that keeps me writing. But close behind
is “NCIS.” I even relish the
reruns!

“You Raised Me Up,” has special meaning for me. It rang in my head constantly as a witness of
the prayers for my husband and me while he was in hospital away from home and I
was staying with him. And I love the
rhythm of “Deep Calls to Deep.”

Cheryl, I'm glad you think the book sounds like fun. If you enjoy animals, doing things that are different, mystery, challenges and making new friends, I think you will enjoy this book. I'd be very interested to know what you think of it.

Adelle, Did you know chickens aren't animals--or even birds? (You might want to read the book to see what they are!) Yet they helped Sammy change his dad's whole attitude about farming! I hope you enjoy the read as much as the title! Let me know what you think.